BOOM! Studios

I was in grade 9 when the original MMPR show hit airwaves on fix kids, so to be honest I was a little too old to be watching it… not that that stopped me of course. Something about the show, despite its many flaws, really grabbed me. Was it the theme song? Of course it was. But it was also the fully realized Japanese monster vs. guy in a robot suit battles, the well-choreographed martial arts and endearing quality of the characters. The Green Ranger saga and its follow up with the introduction of the White Ranger were pretty epic arcs for a kids show and I was all in.

That said, I always felt like there was a layer the series didn’t hit because its job was to run on Saturday mornings and sell toys. The recent film tried, but didn’t get there. However, this comic series absolutely does.

Although I had the option to start with Volume 1, I had seen images of the parallel universe storyline running through later volumes of the series and just had to start there. I was not disappointed.

I joined the story at the beginning of Volume 3, with the Rangers command centre overthrown by the sinister Rita Repulsa and her minions, Angel Grove under siege and the Rangers all dressed in green, sharing the powers of sixth Ranger Tommy Oliver. From there things got wild with a dystopian parallel universe, evil Tommy, clone Goldars, military style Ranger shock troops and Bulk and Skull actually doing something useful.

I cannot stress enough how much fun this book was to read as a Power Rangers fan. It gave me the moments I wanted but never got on the series by treating the characters and their universe with the same kind of seriousness as the X-Men or the Avengers. It uses tropes of the comic medium to flesh out the Rangers world while still staying true to the heart of the original series.

Writer Kyle Higgins is either a Ranger fan himself, or really did his homework to make this series feel like a labour of love. Making Rita and her coney bra-things a real threat is not an easy task, but he pulls it off. He also crafts nice moments between the Rangers and offers a look at the devastating effects of having giant monsters and robots battle across your city once or twice a week.

Credit as well to series artists Hendry Prasetya, Jonathan Lam and Daniel Bayliss for keeping continuity between their styles and respecting the source material enough nogt to go hard on redesigns, but instead to breath modern life into them.

One final shout out to the folks at BOOM! Studios for yet another nostalgia trip that exceeds my expectations by using a property I enjoy and treating it with respect to create something awesome.

IMAGE COMICS

I have to admit that I really should be familiar enough with the story of Theseus and the Minotaur from years working in a museum to be able to to tell how accurate to the source material this is… but I’m not. I remember a maze, a dude and a monster, all of which are covered in this take on the ancient Greek myth of a bull headed monster and the man that slays it.

In this spirit of Frank Millars 300, Kill the Minotaur spices up the story, adding lots of gore, a hint at space aliens (my take) and of course some gratuitous nudity and cursing.

The story begins with the king of Crete losing his son to the previously mentioned monster, which leads to years of conflict with nearby Athens where “tributes” are taken to be fed to the beast inside its labyrinth home.

Enter Theseus, son of the king, warrior in training and smart mouth layabout who is dragged into the battle and dropped into the maze along with his best friend, a mysterious ally and a some red ensigns… err… fellow countrymen.

The story moves along with lots of bodies, blood, guts and passable character development as Theseus becomes the hero he was destined to be. Pretty standard stuff and all well executed.

The design of the Minotaur was a fresh take, with it being a monster more in line with John Carpenter’s Thing than your typical guy with a bull’s head. It was a good choice and pairs nicely with the otherworldly nature of the maze, itself a living thing.

From a critical stand point, the writing isn’t anything overly fresh and the the art is a little sketchy here and there, but cover to cover, the comic is well produced. In fact, I would not be at all surprised to see a film adaptation come out of this as it seems tailor made to do so.

For fans of mythology and brutal, monster themed gore, Kill the Minotaur would make for a fine addition to the shelf.

That’s all from me this week, so from my corner of the multiverse to yours, excelsior!

Good day comic fans! I’m here in the office in snowy Cobourg, Ontario and that must mean its time for Heroes and Villains!

In today’s column I will be taking a look at the first two volumes of Injection by one of my favourite writers, Warren Ellis, as well as some titles from Zenescope, Dark Horse and Boom Studios. So without any further ballyhoo, let’s talk comics!

Welcome one and all to the sense-shattering second edition of the all new, not so different, Heroes and Villains column! It’s the time of the week where I get a sneak peek at a pile of upcoming comics and then share my thoughts! This week I’ll be looking at a sampler platter of books from Boom Studios, Zenescope, Oni Press, and Image Comics, so let’s get to it!Read the rest of this entry →

I know: you’re looking to buy that perfect, mid-priced, comic book collection for a friend or loved one as a gift for the holiday season, aren’t you? (Maybe, if you’re anything like me, you’re also looking to pick up a little holiday reading for yourself!)

Well, yesterday we posted a list of some higher-priced items. If you haven’t seen it yet (or need to refer back to it), you can find it right here. It’s got some great stuff for any comic book fan in your life.

But maybe those items are out of your price range. No worries. Biff Bam Pop! has got you covered.

In a couple of days, we’re going to list our lower-priced, generally softcover comic book compilations, best to give as gifts this year. Today, we’re in the mid-range. And there’s lots of great stuff to give!

So scribble these books down on paper, type them into your phone Notes app, ask Siri to remind you, or just simply print this page!

Either way, get to a comic book store, a bookstore or get online now – here we go!

Hey there, true believers, my name is Richard Kirwin and I would like to welcome you to my first edition of Heroes and Villains!

It goes without saying that I begin this column with humility and appreciation for the opportunity to do two of my favorite things: read comics and talk about comics. After the passing of longtime writer Glenn Walker, my friend Andy Burns asked me if I was willing to step in and give writing this column a go. Knowing Glenn only through his writing and presence here on the site, it is with all due respect for his work and legacy that I agreed to do it. I know that writing this means something to me and to the friends and colleagues Glenn has here at Biff Bam Pop, so I will do my best to bring you reviews, rants and insights into the world we all love. The world of comics.

So, how did things go yesterday? Did you find what was on your Holy Grail list?

Thursdays are meant to be a sort of Fan Expo Canada scouting mission – getting the lay of the land, what the price ranges are for the goodies you want, and meeting up with some friends…some of whom you haven’t seen in a long, long time.

Remember, it’s not a race – Fan Expo Canada is a four-day marathon.

But things really start to get heated today!

Still got those comfortable shoes on? Today’s a longer day, starting at 10 AM and running until 7 PM. So, loosen up those hamstrings and follow us into the fray of Friday’s Day 2!

Here are some of the things Biff Bam Pop! thinks you need to experience today!

Passing a tractor trailer on the highway yanks your car violently and you need to jerk the steering wheel in an opposite direction just to keep yourself from running into the culvert at the side of the road. Whew!

Lazily canoeing across the cottage lake while a strong wind blows you off course from the dock you need to get to. How’d I get here?

Watching a Tour de France cycle team ride in single file, switching up leaders from time to time in order to conserve energy for each individual rider. Sweet science.

Experiencing the violent effects when a nasty Chicago hitman crosses paths with a downtrodden Seattle housewife – in a most unusual way!

In a comic book pop culture world where immense crossover events from the big two publishers, Marvel Comics and DC Comics, fill up all the headlines, smaller and cooler and more artful releases can sometimes get a little lost in on the store shelves.

As fun as #DCMetal’s Dark Days: The Forge #1 (DC Comics’ big Batman-centric story) and the Secret Empire series of comics (Marvel’s Hydra-centered summer epic) might be, for a lot of us, it’s the creator-owned stuff that take our fancy.

That’s what we’re here for today: making sure you don’t get blinded from the great stuff when you head over to your local comic book shop on your own Wednesday Run.

“Even here in sleepy old Cefalu. The Trees affect everything. The way we behave. The way money moves around. The things we believe.”

Trees vol 1: In Shadow (issues 1-8)Warren EllisJason Howard5/5

Just to get it right out of the way – I am a Warren Ellis mark. In terms a non-wrestling fan can understand, I’m a big fan. If something has a name on it, there is a good chance I will give it a read.

As a writer, he possesses a real gift for taking a concept or premise in a direction you would never expect. He does this while managing to not get stuck in any one creative lane and over a wide variety of characters, from mainstream super-heroes to independent science fiction.

Because I’m a trades guy, I came across Trees while picking through the 3rd floor of BMV (Bloor and Spadina location in Toronto, amazing selection).

With Ellis name attached I felt comfortable grabbing something I had no ideas about going in. As usual, Mr. Ellis did not disappoint.Read the rest of this entry →

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This time on Heroes and Villains, we’ll be looking at a variety of comics out this week, and a brief interlude from the traditional superhero genre for me, including selections from both Boom! Studios and Image Comics. Meet me after the jump for my thoughts on Mighty Morphin Power Rangers 2017 Annual #1, WWE #5, Ladycastle #4, Black Science #30, and Sex Criminals #19… be warned, there may be spoilers…